SME Policy Index: Kosovo* Kick-off Event

As the fourth in a series of kick-off events, the meeting marked the official launch of the new cycle of the SME Policy Index (SMEPI) for the Western Balkans and Türkiye in Kosovo. It set in motion an 18-month structured process of collaboration and data collection, aimed at developing a shared roadmap for institutional coordination and stakeholder engagement—supporting timely, coherent, and high-quality contributions to the OECD’s forthcoming assessment and policy recommendations.

The event convened representatives from 15 public institutions, agencies, and other key stakeholders, enhancing SMEPI’s visibility and reinforcing its strategic importance within Kosovo’s SME policy landscape. Participants were introduced to key novelties and thematic priorities of the 2026 edition and engaged in substantive dialogue to clarify institutional roles, align expectations, seek clarifications on the input collection and the overall assessment process. These exchanges further strengthened stakeholder engagement and established a solid foundation for ongoing collaboration between the economy’s administration and the OECD throughout the assessment cycle.

Technical discussions emphasised Kosovo’s continued engagement with SMEPI, reflecting its ongoing commitment to advancing SME policy in line with evolving national priorities and EU standards, as well as its intent to showcase policy progress within the regional, evidence-based framework.

The event underscored SMEPI’s role as a driver of SME resilience, competitiveness, and economic development, and reaffirmed the OECD’s position as a strategic partner in Kosovo’s reform journey. Ultimately, the discussions highlighted a clear commitment to delivering a coordinated, impactful assessment aligned with Kosovo’s wider economic and policy priorities.

This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99 and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo’s declaration of independence.

The SME Policy Index is a benchmarking tool designed to help emerging economies to monitor and evaluate their progress in designing and implementing policies that support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Index is structured around the ten principles of the Small Business Act for Europe (SBA), which are translated into 13 dimensions, providing a comprehensive set of pro-enterprise measures. Developed in 2006, by the OECD in partnership with the European Commission (EC), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the European Training Foundation (ETF), it has been applied to several regions, including the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) in 2006, 2009, 2012 (which included Türkiye for the first time), 2016, 2019 and 2022. The seventh cycle was launched in March 2025 and is scheduled for publication in May 2026.

The main objective of the SME Policy Index is to provide governments with a framework to assess policies that promote SME development. The Index identifies strengths and weaknesses in policy design and implementation, facilitates cross-economy and cross-time comparisons, and tracks convergence towards EU and OECD SME policy standards. It also assists governments in setting targets and strategic priorities to further improve the business environment. Furthermore, the Index fosters policy dialogue and exchange of best practices, within the region and with OECD and EU member states.

• Event agenda
• Meeting presentation
• Photos

• Jovana Pavlovic Djukic, Project Manager, OECD South East Europe Division, Jovana.PAVLOVICDJUKIC@oecd.org
• Marijana Petrovic, Project Manager, OECD South East Europe Division, Marijana.PETROVIC@oecd.org
• Sophia Katsira, Junior Policy Analyst, OECD South East Europe Division, Sophia.KATSIRA@oecd.org